Laden
by Wicked R
Summary: As usual, Gibbs is left to make sense of Jack's antics.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Loaded

Author: WickedRum

Disclaimer: I have no right to use these characters, Disney does.

Summary: As usual, Gibbs is left to make sense of Jack's antics.

Set: post AWE.

Genre: romance, hurt/comfort.

Rating: probably NC, for violence and a fetish.

Pairing: Sparrabeth, eventually, Jack/Gibbs friendship otherwise.

Joshamee Gibbs stumbled into the Harnessed Peg Inn in Tortuga barely managing to duck out the way of Barbossa. If he was lucky, the old bugger did not see him. It was one thing for him to be held up by the ex captain of the Pearl, but he had to think about Jack being around too. And most importantly Barbossa should not find out the Pearl was around for the taking! With it being in the early hours of the morning the majority of the crewman guests had left to have a chance at attending to their duties on their ships, the time not so far away. He himself was on his way back to the Pearl, but he would never leave town without his captain, who he had left in that very place. Gibbs was away with Martha, and older wench he favored, cause there was no work in getting her. She was thankful for the few gold coins he occasionally gave her, was forgiving and broad-minded and there was no chance she would surprise him with an offspring.

Close to daybreak, he didn't really expect to find Jack there, it was usually the other way round, it was the captain himself who came looking for him, waking him up with a big bucket of water, but since he wasn't completely intoxicated this time just by chance, he thought he would show good faith and make it back to the ship all by himself. And right enough, Jack wasn't there, but when he turned to go, he found one of his arms stuck. He looked to see what caused the hold up and wished he didn't as he found himself being slapped by a tall woman. Giselle of course. Again.

"T'was fe Jack, aye?" Gibbs opened his eyes wide, rubbing his face, "I'll be sure to offer 'im yer gift!" He turned again, but was stopped again. He ducked this time, almost falling with the effort. Nevertheless, his arm was pulled again and he was taken along to the back and thrown through a door.

"Is Jack you're looking for? He's in there. Had to take him out the way for making too much mess, you know what I mean!"

Gibbs frowned and stumbled back at the sight, Jack was in fact lying there on the floor. His head tilted to the side, he seemed more asleep than awake although his eyelids were fluttering and was mumbling something.

Gibbs smiled at it, it would be him more sober this time, not Jack! It usually wasn't much difference about how much they really drank, but Jack could normally hold it better, he had to admit that. Maybe because he was younger. Gibbs considered the mighty possibility of hauling Jack out the tavern and then returning the kind bucket of water as the well known purposes of the smell, but then had to discard the idea. Jack would certainly give back the favor later with a lot of bonus on top, just for good measure, besides, the captain probably wasn't all that drunk, even if he looked it right now.

But at least he could grab him gruffly, pulling him into a sitting position, "Jack, take heed, we have to be gone, I have this feeling Barbossa's just about to participate at the intake in here and you're not in the mood as I read!" Since Jack still didn't make one move apart from drawing a few deeper breaths Gibbs made sure he lifted Jack's hat from the floor next to him and had it under one of his armpits, then pulled Jack over to the wall and sat him against it. Now where was Giselle and where's that water?

It only took a minute and the innkeeper has provided them with such a bucket, always at ready with such aids to be rid of overindulging clients.

Jack jumped and growled, "ye vain dewberry." He rubbed the water out his face, then looked up at him before his spoke, the certain amount of pain that Gibbs saw flashing up for a moment in there making his first mate frown with confusion.

"Mr. Gibbs," Jack said solemnly, slurring, "wake me not if we've still got a ship, but if Barbossa's got it then why do ye wake me up?"

"He'll get it before long alright, it's no very hard to see, just pokes the eyes out in the harbor! Up ye get!" He tried to pull his captain up.

"Geroff," Jack mumbled, trying to free his arm away from his first mate. 

"You need to take him, we're closing," Giselle told Gibbs. 

"Well, how about a little help?" Gibbs grunted, then rolled his eyes, watching Giselle shrug and walk out, "suit yerself then." He rubbed his forehead with his sleeve and shook his head, watching the heap that was supposed to be his captain in front of him. He sighed, then went down on his knees next to him, placing a hand on his upper leg, "Jack, are ye all right?" He leaned close, talking with a certain softness and concern in his voice for the first time. 

Jack rubbed a hand over his midsection, "what is love, Mr. Gibbs?" He mumbled. 

"Why, Jack, ye tend to get philosophic about the strangest things at the strangest times. Come get up will ye?" 

"Can't." 

"Ye can lie there if ye like, but I have no intentions of watching that difficult pillager sailin away with me ship," Gibbs said, willing to get a reaction as he wasn't for staying there next to him till the morning. 

"It's yer ship now is it?" Jack did react to the mention of his precious Pearl, but it wasn't exactly the way Gibbs hoped for, "well, excuse me Joshamee for getting all dramatic, but I've had a little too much to drink." 

"Aye, that ye did. But fe the love of that ship, will ye get up!" 

"Not so fast, Mr. Gibbs, we've got a lot to figure out in this world of ours." 

"Like that head of yers," Gibbs mumbled. 

"And love is one of those," Jack continued. "Like when yer lips are all dry. We have to play the cards we're dealt, right?" 

Gibbs opened his eyes slowly wide with the drunken man's surprise. Could Jack not get a whore tonight? 

The younger pirate seemed a bit more awake by now, he grumbled and tried to sit up straighter, "how do ye know when it's love?" 

"Brooding about kisses?" Gibbs shrugged. He really sat down by now, giving in. There was no moving till Jack was finished with this whatever talk. "But if I wanted to get philosophical I'd likely say something like, you just know when it's love and that's that." 

Jack nodded, knowingly, then at length, tried to stand up. With as much help as Gibbs could manage in his own inebriated state, he got him to his feet. 

Jack held on to the wall with one hand, to Gibbs with the other, trying to reorientate before turning to his confounded old friend with a small smile, "we'll just have to kill the wish then." 

tbc 


	2. Impossible

Chapter 2: Impossible 

Gibbs watched Jack lean onto the outside wall of the inn, then looked up and down the street, making sure they were safe. Breathing heavily from the effort of practically carrying Jack out all by himself, his eyes wandered into the distance, they were making very slow progress, how will they ever make it to the Pearl? He momentarily considered leaving Jack there and getting help from Pintel, but Jack would not appreciate having been seen in such a state by the crew, so it had to be a no. But would he be not bothered if he was seen and recognized like this on the streets of Tortuga? "Come on Jack," he urged him quietly, "before somebody walks by." 

Jack was blinking a lot, and staring, alternatively, as if lost, unless Gibbs guided him somewhere, but was still sure about the talking part, "e'er wonder why we keep doing it? Navvy after us, every man fe imself, long drawn bored weeks on sea without no catch, running out of rum...all that makes you want to use that pistol on yer ewn head? And we ne'er come up with an answer either. No a good one anyway." 

"Can't say I don't e'er think about that Jack, but it's just who we are. It's what we do." 

"It's what we do well, ei?" Jack gave him a half smile. 

"Indeed. Captain? Will ye shut up? Walking and talking at the same time appears to be beyond ye, so...before you get even more philosophic, don't ye think we should head? Er...at least away from this place," he nodded towards the ground, indicating that they were not all that far off from standing exactly in the middle of...some unpleasantness that came from...some unknown origin, he didn't want to elaborate. 

Jack followed his gaze, then quickly closed his eyes. He suddenly found a reason to move too if he didn't want to look more pitiable in front of Gibbs. He picked himself off the wall and moved himself along a few steps, but his stomach lurched and twisted and he was forced to stop again, this time leaning onto Gibbs as the wall was unreachable. 

"Not like you, Jack. Is everything all right?" 

"No," Jack admitted, going down on shaky knees and pulling the older man with him. Gibbs hardly had any time to entangle before Jack gave in to what his stomach would've wanted to do all along. 

Gibbs tried to comfort him by patting his back, "I knew something was wrong with ye," he muttered. What was he going to do? Jack needed to lie down and sleep this out. The sooner they were back on the Pearl, the better. He maneuvered himself under one of Jack's armpits and hauled him up, panting heavily. "Was it something ye ate?" It certainly could have not been the drink, he had never seen Jack even have a proper hangover, like ever. 

Jack shook his head. In fact, he didn't eat anything all day, it was just rum. "What about happiness?" Jack continued, as if he would've really had a partner to that conversation, "and I don't mean joy or pleasure," he sighed. 

Gibbs frowned, just about managing to get them to a reasonably steady state when they could move into a particular direction, "what about happiness? We have the Pearl, don't we? That is, if we get there in time." 

"I say the only thing worth living for is love!" Jack said rather loudly and suddenly, making Gibbs wince from the decibels in his ears, "don't ye agree?" 

"I agree, Jack, I agree to anything." 

It appeared to be the wrong thing to say, as Jack stopped again and patted his first mate's face with drunken benevolence, "thank you Joshamee, you're a good friend." 

Said good friend cursed. They'd maybe reach destination if Jack wasn't maybe getting into the purpose of life on top of it. Staggering from side to side like a large heap or sitting down occasionally because Jack was either too drugged to walk or his stomach was rebelling, Gibbs swore he would never set foot in Tortuga again, and then he saw the Pearl in the distance. 

Tbc 


	3. Flat Solid

Chapter 3: Flat Solid 

Jack sighed, letting the air out slowly and heavily. Standing by the helm at the fresh air and concentrating at the water ahead of them was the best hangover cure he has ever known, but it wasn't working this time. It was the worst holdover he had ever experienced. He moaned and quickly looked around to see if anybody noticed. 

Of course Gibbs knew about his delicate condition and kept glancing at him all day, but Gibbs was Gibbs, he could trust him. 

Not so much himself. He had been thinking too much about Elizabeth, he had been drinking too much on that account. He wiped the sweat off his face. It wasn't the hangover that was killing him, really. He was wanting to love so much, he wanted to love Elizabeth, but he couldn't completely give into it. He was what he was, a pirate and the feeling of undivided devotion for somebody else just didn't fit into there. So how could he even expect Elizabeth to love him? 

She said it wouldn't ever work between them and he knew she was right, no matter what he answered back then. One of them would have to give in to the other, leaving their ships and lives behind for the benefit of the other. There was no meeting half way on that one, both of them would've had lots to give up if they were to be together. Hasn't he already given up so much for her? He had given away his immortality, he even died for her and he didn't even try to stop her from putting the shackles on him. He has given her so much, yet it was not enough. It would never be enough if what she really wanted was the whelp. The immortal whelp, damn it! He sometimes wondered if it would hurt having no heart in the middle of your chest, he wondered if it hurt William as much as his did thinking about her touching him and her lips on him, his heart, this unbearable weightiness inside him. Why does he keep thinking about her? Now he's not only spent, but discomposed too. He turned the wheel with shaky fingers, resting his other hand on his stomach. He looked around to see where his first mate was, "Mr. Gibbs! Take over!" He gave his orders and grimaced. Was he going to make it down below in front of a suspicious crew? 

Gibbs arrived with a solemn look on his face, silently stepping into position. He saw Jack's eyes closing for a moment and the look of pain flash over to his face before he went to stand by the railing, holding onto it. "We're only human, Jack," he said quietly, as if answering his thoughts. 

They stood taciturnly for a while. The waking wind didn't do anything for his boiling head, more so, the resultant waves were rather disturbing, even if that would've never occurred to him before. 

Gibbs was watching the sails, how much were they filled with the wind and it the luff was in line with it. He knew he had to take care of all that, he knew Jack wasn't looking. So he kept an eye on him too and thank God he did. Of a sudden Jack as if folded on himself over the railing and Gibbs left the wheel to itself more worried about his captain capsizing into the water than anything else. He took a few hasty steps towards him, "Cotton, mind the wheel!" And then he was right there, slipping his arms strongly around his waist to keep him steady while he was obviously still having trouble with his tummy. 

Jack willed himself light-headedly back over the railing and slumped in Gibbs' arms, feeling too terrible to care about the crew anymore. 

"Easy Jack, I'll take ye down," he helped him to bed and sat down next to him. Jack was certainly looking ill. 

"What's wrong with him?" Pintel said from the door, in the front of a bunch of curious pirates. 

"Back to work, a lot of ye," Gibbs ordered, "not ye Marty. Ye replenished yer potions stock in Tortuga I hope. I need one of yer stomach calming drinks." He addressed the short pirate. It was well known he always had something in his bag for hangovers, along with a lot of other herbs for all sorts of medicative purposes. 

"I forgot that, sorry," Marty frowned, "we were not there for that long." But since Gibbs turned and gave him a look he quickly added, "I still had a little powder to make it from before." 

"Well, go and do it then," Gibbs grunted. When they were alone, he put a gentle hand on Jack's stomach, half expecting for it to be shoved away. But it wasn't. "That was a good question Jack, what's wrong with ye?" 

Jack kept his eyes closed, turning his head towards the wall. He waited with the answer until the cramps receded, "I'm fine. I just don't know what I want most sometimes." 

"It's not the heading I'm worried about," Gibbs rolled his eyes. Jack has sort of stalled that conversation so he just took the towel silently and dumped it in the bowl of water normally used for shaving. 

Jack didn't oppose when he gently rubbed his stomach with it. Perturbing. Where was Marty with that drink? 

Tbc 


	4. Optical Illusion

Chapter 4: Optical Illusion 

"Mr. Gibbs!" Bruno, the Italian shouted down from the crow's nest, "navvy ship behind us!" 

"Should I get the captain?" Pintel offered. 

"No, not yet," Gibbs said confidently. Although Marty's concoction has helped the captain, he knew he needed more rest. "Ease the sails!" He ordered, intending to sail within thirty degrees on the side of dead downwind. Not many ships would follow the example for less than good reason, as loss of attention by the helmsman could lead to accidental jibing. He wasn't sure if so close after the big battle navvy ships would at all attack, but he wasn't sure either they weren't intending to hunt them down one by one as a form of revenge. 

"I think you want to reconsider that!" Pintel said on an icy tone, temporarily holding the spyglass, "it's a new ship, but with Beckett on board!" 

"Can he not die, the frothy onion eyed bladder!" Gibbs cried. 

"They are gaining on us and will be in firing range shortly!" Marty reported. 

"I don't suppose Jack'd appreciate being woken up with that sound!" Gibbs gave in, "Marty, go fetch 'im!" 

"What's with the running?" Jack grabbed his spyglass off Pintel, already on deck having felt the change in the way the Pearl held itself against the wind. "oh, that artless sour faced giglet!" 

"Aye, that's what I said as well," Gibbs nodded in agreement. "It's a small ship Jack, I don't think he knows what he's doing. Blind avenging it might be." 

"Very well Mr. Gibbs," Jack pursed his lips, "reef the main and prepare to fire!" 

Beckett, however, didn't. He was on a suicide mission. Leaving the ship to be fired at, he ordered his men to climb over to the Pearl, taking anybody and anything and any risk on his way to the culprit for his failure, Jack. This time he wasn't going to hide behind other forces, documents and the pulling of strings, he will face the pirate head on, even if sword fight wasn't his best. 

Gibbs watched the swarming of the Pearl with some confusion. No man could be that desperate as Cutler Beckett. He himself has thrown a few people off the ship trying to climb up, but he soon realized there were lots more to come. The Brethren Court's ships have taken quite a few navvy ships in total and the people on board must've all climbed onto the remaining smaller navvy ships like the one that has just attacked them, clearly more then them in sheer numbers. He aimed and fired his pistol quite a few times, then clashed with a larger fellow using pieces of wood from a broken barrel to fend him off. He only had one moment to look up before he had to smash somebody else's rifle out his face and he saw Beckett up by the helm trying to balance not to fall down the steps. Jack clearly had the advantage in a sword fight, as he always had. Nothing to worry about there, even if he wasn't at his best. 

Soon though, more and more guns were drawn out in front of Gibbs, he was surrounded by red uniforms and held his hand up to signal he surrendered. 

"Maybe you should look around before you do anything stupid," Jack walked down towards them, having drawn his sword out of Beckett's lifeless body and sheeting it, "it'll be a long swim I fear," he pointed towards the ex navvy ship, now in pieces, followed by the Empress in the background, having just emptied all her canons, "so, anybody for a dip before the Singapore pirates get here?" 

Gibbs smiled and shook his head. Of course, the Empress couldn't be all that far yet. They must've seen Beckett. As the sailors were rushing off headless, he looked at Jack, it was bloody well time for Elizabeth Turner to give some favors back, he wanted to say, but he didn't. At first he thought the fighting must've aggravated Jack's sore guts. And then he saw it. Blood dripping down the mast Jack was leaning on. 

Tbc 


	5. Calculate

Chapter 5: Calculation 

At first, Elizabeth didn't intend to get over to the Pearl, she had said her good byes to Jack and that was it. She didn't want to rub his nose into saving him this time, she was still in his debt and big time. But then she saw the crew gather around somebody and taking him down below and she didn't see Jack anywhere. Her veins ran cold at the realization. She couldn't lose all her men, all the people she deeply cared for in just a week's time? Her father, James, Will, no, not Jack! Disregarding all formalities of her captainship she ran, rowed herself over, stumbling into the captain's cabin, unstopped by anyone. 

Jack has been put on the top of the table on his side with his torso bare so that Marty could attend to the large cut on his arm. 

Gibbs was holding down Jack's head as he wriggled while Marty was sawing him up, "not many more stitches, not many more," he said, looking hopefully at Marty. 

"Gimme...more rum!" Jack forced the growl out through clenched teeth, one that he didn't loosen even when Gibbs lifted the bottle to his lips. Screaming he was with a clenched jaw too, taking ragged, pain filled breaths between stitches. 

"Stop, stop!" Gibbs yelled as Jack edged to the end of table and clutched his abdomen with his healthy arm. "Calm down Jackie, he's going take a break," he hoped Jack would pass out, that would've been best. 

"I will stop," Marty agreed, "how many times was that? Ten? I have to go fix another drink to calm his stomach. If he always gets rid of the rum, the pain will be tough." 

Elizabeth stepped out the way for Marty, taking a few steps towards the table hesitantly. Tears welled up in her eyes at the sight and she wanted to touch him, but maybe it was better if he didn't see her, she didn't want to upset him even more. Instead, she watched the strange sight of Gibbs stroking Jack's hair. 

"It will be over soon, son," Gibbs promised Jack, changing position beside the table to rub the younger pirates stomach with a piece of cloth instead as it proved so effective earlier. 

"Josh?" Jack grabbed for the elder's wrist. 

"Does it not feel good Jackie? Should I stop, son?" 

"No," Jack closed his eyes, "it's just...I never understood why you accepted to be keelhauled." 

"What??" Gibbs reeled back, "was there no other times you could ask that question??" 

"The right moment never seemed to occur with me being yer captain and all," Jack said calmly. Talking about something else did help him with the pain and Gibbs noticed. 

"Yer still me captain Jackie, khmm, Jack," he corrected. 

"You called me Jackie. There's no way back. It's like being back on Bootstaps' ship." 

"I didn't mean it that way son, I mean Jack," Gibbs stuttered softening again as Jack's grip on his hand tightened again, his face telling of his suffering. 

"So why did you take being keelhauled for me?" 

"Because you would've drowned or lacerated to death, for God's sakes Jack!" 

"I was a pirate!" 

"You were fourteen!" 

"Why did you do it Joshamee? You ran that risk too! Not fe the sake of me deep dark eyes, ei? So? Don't tell me ye saw something in me, don't tell me ye thought we would be here on me ship one day!" 

"It was because I had to all right? Either that, or face the keeper of the code later. Ye can tell which option would any pirate chose?" 

"Teague?" Jack squinted unbelieving. 

"He told me to take care of ye." 

"Which ye do to the very day." 

"That I do Jackie, that I do," Gibbs admitted, wincing. How will this look in the broad daylight when Jack was feeling better, he didn't know. Thankful that Marty has arrived back, he took the cup with the potion. 

Tbc 


	6. Lineman

Chapter 6: Lineman 

"How long have you known Jack?" Elizabeth asked Gibbs outside his door. 

"He was no more than a lad, four perhaps. It was the fastest a ship ever crossed the Caribbean sea, I'd attest. Captain Teague was taking him to Tia Dalma as he was ill and no one else would knew why or what to do. She told us Jack should come back to her in twenty years time and when Teague promised she healed Jackie. Destiny, she said, that was what was wrong with him." 

"The wound looks good," Marty joined them stepping out from the cabin, "no fever, no fetidness, no more blood," he nodded, "it's the tummy I'm more worried about. At this rate he'll not have any secretions left in his body!" 

"I don't understand," Elizabeth shook her head, "the bloodloss, the pain was making him sick, right? That should've passed by now." 

"Uhm...not quite," Gibbs admitted, "he had a hard going holdover before that." 

"Jack? Hangover?" Elizabeth was confused. If Jack ever had the time to have a hangover between drinks all he was is being bad-tempered and intent on finding some rum. "Well?" She looked Gibbs straight in the eyes, even if the old man wanted to turn away, suspecting there was more to it. 

"I'm not sure about this, but I think..." He brought his voice down gradually to a whisper so that not even Marty could hear it, "the trouble with his guts, it's got to do with you. That, together with the wound." 

Elizabeth looked at him as if he had three heads, "what have I done now?" 

"I've never seen him this drunk in me life Mrs. Turner, never! He was talking about being in love and how could he forget ye!" 

"Jack's..." Elizabeth took a deep breath looking at the closed door of the captain, "why would he even like me?" 

"Ye can't restrain the heart, can ye? That's what I told him as well, no very useful as it might be..." 

Elizabeth pressed her lips together for a moment, thinking. So is it her fault, again? Knowing what caused him to get into this state didn't mean she could help him right now physically either, "Marty. So what should we do?" 

"My powder worked a good deal. Only thing, I don't have one pinch of it left." 

"I'm setting course for the next port fe it," Gibbs sprang to action, going on deck. He has avoided Jack since that confession, Elizabeth's been there anyway for the last two days. 

Tbc 


	7. Seam

Chapter 7: Seam 

"Lizzie?" Jack tried to sit up when she entered his room. 

She rushed to the bed and helped him lean back against the pillows she was pulling up, "do you need anything? Want to try something to eat?" 

"Why are ye still here? Take it from a captain, yer crew will not tolerate such disregard of duties. Ye can't stay here take care of me feeling guilty, paying back debts whatever. They might be in the middle of figuring out how to maroon ye, I'm telling ye!" 

"I'm not a captain," she said offhandedly, "they already chose a new one." 

"What??" 

"They were not so keen on me in the first place and I was fed up with the attitude. What do I need a ship for now? I told them I'm leaving." 

"What sort of pirate would do that?" 

"One that's in love with you," she admitted. After having been told he felt the same there was no reason to keep that back. "I gave up my captaincy. I hope that proves it?" She smiled at him warmly. 

"Yer dear Will! Don't tell me I gave up immortality for nothing!" 

"You gave up your immortality because you're a good man. You couldn't let Will die. And that's why I love you...I can't help loving both of you. As Gibbs says, you can't command the heart who to love! Jack! Don't just stare! Say something!" 

"Maybe we should try that kiss," he slid his good hand up her thigh. 

She leaned over towards him immediately, curling her fingers around his locks, but not daring to look into his eyes. She knew that first kiss after that last one will be hard. 

Jack stroke her back, "don't be afraid, I won't hurt you, I promise." He closed in, his lips touching her eyelids first, then slowly moved down to her lips, the exact gentle opposite of their passionate kiss next to the mast. 

"And that is why I love you too," she smiled at him through tears as their lips parted, "see? That kiss, that shows how you're a good man too. Now what should we do about that stomach of yours?" She moved her hands playfully down his chest and started to massage his belly carefully, moving diagonally downwards one muscle at a time. 

"I'm sure that'll do darlin, that'll do," Jack said, feeling his manhood waking at the touch. There was nothing wrong with his world. 

The End. 


End file.
